Thunderstorm asthma deaths under spotlight

Source: SBS

A review into the emergency service response to Melbourne's asthma thunderstorm will examine at least four deaths linked to the rare phenomenon.The man who runs Melbourne's main pollen counting station thinks it's possible to develop an asthma thunderstorm forecast given useful data exists from previous events.

"We get those conditions of high grass pollen and thunderstorms quite regularly in Melbourne at this time of year but it's not every time that we get thunderstorm asthma," pollen expert Ed Newbigin from Melbourne University told AAP.

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This information is copyright (disclaimer & copyright).Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part maybe reproduced by any process without prior written permission fromthe University of Melbourne, Australia. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to Associate Professor Ed NewbiginSchool of BioSciences, University of Melbourne. Phone: +61 3 8344 4871.